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Winemaker Notes

Made entirely from Robola of Kefalonia, an increasingly rare, ungrafted, noble grape variety. A fresh, vivacious, crisp white wine, which expresses all the mineral and citrus characteristics of this unique variety. Complex, balanced and dry, with an orange blossom nose and long finish.

Critical Acclaim

The 2014 Robola is dry and unoaked and comes in at just 12.5% alcohol. This seems tightly wound, yet still elegant. It projects very reasonable mid-palate concentration. That's surprising because owner Petros Markantonatos said that the vintage was "generally a challenging one with yields down about 40%. The Robola grapes for the Gentilini Robola 2014 were harvested about a week later, at 12.5% alcohol instead of 13-13.5% that we usually aim for, and the juice from different altitudes were vinified separately to give us more freedom in blending." It seems to have worked out well. It is not as full, of course, as the Cellar Selection reviewed this issue, but it still has reasonable depth and it has more purity of fruit. Persistent and balanced, with a lingering, flavorful finish it also has tension on the finish that is rather enlivening, too. It has that tightly wound feel in its youth. Don't ignore that tasty fruit, either. This is, of course, very young. Sometimes, aging changes things for the better (or worse), but youth can have a benefit: this seems like it was just removed from tank. The purity of this wine is especially enchanting just now.

W&S90

Wine & Spirits

Gentilini sets the bar for robola. The Cosmetatos family grows their vines in the limestone slopes that rise up the southern coast of Cephalonia. This 2014 seems to channel that chalk in its brightness, the flavors firm and fresh in their lemon zing and savory in their earthy character. This will complement anything from the sea, as well as spicy Thai takeout.

Gentilini

Established in 1978, the Gentilini Winery was founded by the Cosmetatos family. The Gentilini family originated in Este, a town near Padua Italy. In 1593, the Venitian Senate commissioned Marino Gentilini to build the extensive forts of Assos in Cephalonia. Eventually, he married and settled on the island permanently. In present times, Spiro-Nicholas Cosmetatos, a descendant of the Gentilini family, studied winemaking at the Wine Institute of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Upon completion of his studies, he decided to return to Cephalonia and begin producing world-class wines in Greece.

Greece

A picturesque Mediterranean nation with a rich wine culture dating back to ancient times, Greece has so much more to offer than just retsina. Between the mainland and the country’s many islands, a wealth of wine styles exists, made mostly from Greece’s plentiful indigenous varieties. After centuries of adversity after Ottoman rule, the modern wine industry took off in the late 20th century with an influx of newly trained winemakers and investments in winemaking technology.

The climate—generally hot Mediterranean—can vary a bit with latitude and elevation, and is mostly moderated by cool maritime breezes. Drought can be an issue during the long, dry summers, sometimes necessitating irrigation.

Over 300 indigenous grapes have been identified throughout Greece, and though not all of them are suitable for wine production, future decades will likely see a significant revival and refinement of many of these native varieties. Assyrtiko, the crisp, saline variety of the island of Santorini, is one of the most important and popular white varieties, alongside Roditis, Robola, Moschofilero, and Malagousia. Muscat is also widely grown for both sweet and dry wines. Prominent red varieties include full-bodied and fruity Agiorghitiko, native to Nemea; Macedonia’s savory, tannic Xinomavro; and Mavrodaphne, used commonly to produce a Port-like fortified wine in the Peloponnese.

Other White Wine

Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of white grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are regional indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent wines on their own, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics and aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal, Italy, and Greece are known for having a multitude of unique varieties.